Photograph the Camas Lilies on the Camas Prairie
Hill City, Idaho
Description
Added by Sara Sheehy
Photograph fields of wildflowers on the Camas Prairie between Boise and Sun Valley. As a bonus, enjoy a picnic lunch while watching the rich diversity of birds at Centennial Marsh.
Each spring the Camas Prairie comes alive with acres of vibrant Camas lilies. The bloom lasts from late May to mid-June.
From Route 20 turn south onto Wolf Lane east of Hill City, following the Centennial Marsh Wildlife Management Area signs. The road is dirt but passable for sedans.Stop at the Centennial Marsh parking lot for picnic tables and excellent bird watching. The wildflowers, combined with the Solider Mountains as backdrop, make for beautiful photo opportunities.
Tip: to see more Camas lilies, continue south on Wolf Lane, turn right onto Stokes Road, then turn right onto Swamp Road. Swamp Road will return you to Route 20 west of Hill City.
There are few services near the Centennial Marsh so plan ahead for food, water, and bathrooms.
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Photograph the Camas Lilies on the Camas Prairie Reviews
Before making the trip out last spring I chatted with Sara on IG about the location and time to go. It’s recommended to go end of April to first week of May. The city has a FB Page that can tell you when everything is blooming so I waited and watched and when they announced it I took a day trip up from Boise. Once there I was a bit disappointed as the lilies were no where near the size of the ones in Sara’s photos and must have just started coming out. To make things worst it’s a wetlands area and the mosquitos were out in full force (maybe this is a seasonal thing?). And when I say full force I mean to the point where they were covering my arms and face that later on left me looking like I had chicken pox. With all that said the area is beautiful with the Sawtooth Mountains in the background and I was able to take one of my favorite photos today’s (see photo above) so it ended up being worth the trip. Just make sure to go at the right time and bring big spray lol.
3.0
What a gem of a place for photos and scenery. I love the mountain views and the Camas Lilies. A place you could just drive by without seeing. The local native Americans - I believe Shoshone Bannocks - gathered Camas root to store as winter food, and they traveled far and wide to collect them. Beautiful and nutritious
5.0
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Nearby
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